Home is Where the Heart Is
by mandy58
Summary: " ...Hallliwell, our grandmother we summon thee..."    The attic was engulfed in a golden glow and slowly a hazy figure appeared. The two teenage girls that cast the spell couldn't believe their eyes.


Note: I wrote this one quite a while ago...before Paige, Chris and Wyatt. It's set halfway through the second season when Leo lost his wings. It's always been one of my favorites. I hope you like it as well.

-x-

" ...Hallliwell, our grandmother we summon thee..."

The attic was engulfed in a golden glow and slowly a hazy figure appeared. The two young girls that cast the spell couldn't believe their eyes.

" Lynnie, it worked!" the dark haired girl elbowed her sister.

"Oh my god! What have we done?" the blond replied.

"What...what am I doing here?" Piper looked up and found herself in a familiar place but there were two faces staring at her that she had never seen before. Or had she?

The dark haired girl stood up and grabbed her sister. "We're witches, Lynn! Can you believe it?" she hugged Lynn who tried to resist. "We really are witches!"

"Are you our gr...I mean..Piper?" Lynn asked.

"Yes" Piper was still confused, but she was pretty sure she was in no immediate danger. "And who are you two?"

"...Melanie...Lynn...what is going on up there?" a voice called from outside the door.

"Oh my god, it's Mom!" Lynn exclaimed, her blond hair flying as she tried to hide the Book of Shadows.

The door opened and a woman in her late 30s entered the attic. She had dark hair and piercing green eyes. Piper looked into them and she was sure she'd seen them before.

"Mom?" the woman asked somewhat confused.

"Mom?..." Piper was just as confused.

-x-

Leo looked through the window of the laundry room door and saw Piper on the floor of the kitchen. A million things ran through his mind. Was she hurt? And did a warlock get to her? He gathered all of this strength and pushed the door open.

"Piper...can you hear me?" He said rushing to her side.

-x-

" Why are you calling me Mom?" Piper asked backing away from the woman. "And what's going on here?"

"It's OK Mom...I mean Piper." the woman said moving closer to Piper. "I"m Melinda."

"Melinda...my daughter Melinda? You mean..." Piper was beginning to put the pieces together.

"Yes, I'm your daughter" Melinda answered. "You look so young."

"I am.." Piper said taking a closer look at this person that was her daughter. "How old am I now? Oh god, I'm not dead am I?"

"No, you're very much alive." Melinda replied with a smile on her face. " You're downstairs with Dad."

"Dad?"

-x-

Leo reached for Piper's hand and took it in his. It was still warm. She was alive. He felt for pulse and it was still there. Strong as ever. Relieved he picked gently picked her up and carried her to the love seat in the sun room.

-x-

"Melinda...what's going on up here?" A familiar voice called from outside the attic door.

"It's OK Dad." Melinda answered.

"The girls are going nuts down here and they won't tell me..." A man of about 65 opened the attic door and Melinda reached her hands up an immediately froze him.

Piper walked over the the man and a smile spread across her face.

"Leo..." she said " Your dad is Leo."

"Of course."

"He looks so handsome." Piper marveled. Leo had the same sandy blond hair graying at the temples and smile lines had formed at the corners of his green eyes.

"Hurry up and hide. He can usually tell when we've frozen him." Melinda said pushing Piper behind an old room screen. Then she unfroze him.

"Sweetie, what did you do that for?" Leo asked.

"What's that Dad?"

"After nearly 40 years, you don't think I can tell when you or your mother have frozen me?"

"You just startled me." Melinda lied.

"I thought you grew out of that when you were a teenager." Leo laughed.

"I know Dad. I'm sorry. I was distracted." Melinda said hugging her father. "Mel and Lynn were experimenting up here and I was trying to fix it."

"They didn't get into too much trouble, I hope."

"No, no not at all."

Piper was listening to the exchange. She couldn't help but smile. Deep down she knew that Leo would be a great father. And he was.

"I'll be right down." Melinda said.

"You would think I would get used to it." Leo lamented. "Two more witches in this household." He shook his head. "And Prue and Phoebe aren't even here yet."

The doorbell rang downstairs.

"Melanie..." Leo called down. 'Would you get that, it's probably Aunt Prue."

"Yes Grandpa." Melanie called back.

Leo turned to his daughter. " You remind me more and more of your mother every day." He said as he kissed his daughter on the forehead. "Hurry down, she'll need your help with the turkey." He closed the door behind him.

"He hasn't changed." Piper appeared from behind the screen " How long have we been married?"

"37 years this summer"

"37 years..."Piper began "Prue and Phoebe?"

"They're coming over today, they have families just like ours."

"What is today?"

"Thanksgiving."

-x-

Leo leaned over Piper watching her breathe, a light smile on her face. It was like she was having a happy dream. He was pretty sure she was in no immediate danger. He thought he remembered something like this happening when he was still a whitelighter.

"Oh my God!" Phoebe rushed into the room. "Is she all right?"

"I think so." Leo turned to calm Phoebe down.

"We should call 9-1-1."

"I don't think we have to."

-x-

"So those two girls are my grand daughters?" Piper and Melinda sat crossed legged on the old oriental rug on the attic floor.

""Melaine and Lynn..they're twins." Melinda explained.

"Twins."'

"Just turned 10 last week. That's when we released their powers."

"Why did we bind them?"

"Mom & I..I mean me and you thought it would be better for them to wait until they were old enough to understand" Melinda continued. "Melanie has Aunt Prue's power and Lynn can freeze like us. This is the first time they've been into the Book of Shadows."

"I'm sure they're just curious."

"I know..just another typical Thanksgiving at the Halliwells." Melinda laughed.

"Is anything we do typical?" Piper joined with the laughter.

"Mom..." Melaine burst into the attic. " Aunt Pam needs to talk to you. Hi Grandma..."

Piper smiled at the young girl.

"Be right back." Melinda said standing up.

-x-

"Leo she passed out." Phoebe protested. "It's just not right."

"Phoebe, it's OK " Leo said " Could you please just trust me."

"Well then, I'm calling Prue."

-x-

Piper quietly snuck onto the landing after Melinda left and sat on the stairs. She listened to the commotion going on below her. She heard Melinda greet another woman.

"Pam...its great to see you." Melinda said to the woman.

"Melinda, how are you? Tom and the girls?" Pam responded.

"Great, Tom's watching football with Dad, I think, and the girls are around somewhere. They had some fun with the Book of Shadows."

"Oh, no.."

"No it's all right, just a little spell reversing. I'll tell you about it later." Melinda explained.

"I remember when Mom and I released Amy's power...oh that was fun."

"Pam.." Piper heard Phoebe's voice.

"Mom...Happy Thanksgiving." Pam responded.

Piper's attention turned to the other happenings below her. There was giggling and running, the sound of childhood hide and seek.

" Grandma..." a young boy called. " Katie froze me again!"

She heard Prue's voice "It's OK Patrick. I'll have Aunt Patty talk to her."

"But Grandma, it's no fair!" Patrick cried.

" I know...Patty..."

"Coming Mom" A voice replied.

Piper realized that all three of them had daughters. And grandchildren. Prue had Patty. Were Patrick and Katie her grandchildren? Phoebe had Pam and her daughter Amy. The Warren line was continuing, prospering. They were all gathered here at the manor for Thanksgiving. And they were happy. She heard Leo's voice below her. How she loved the sound of his voice.

"Piper, honey..." he called in the direction of the kitchen. " Do you need any help in there?"

Piper smiled at the words. They sounded so, well, normal.

-x-

Phoebe stomped her feet. "She's not answering."

"Phoebe, I don't think we need to worry."

"How do you know?" Phoebe protested. "you're not a whitelighter anymore."

"No..." Leo was stung by the words. " But I do love you sister more than life itself. Do you really think I would let anything happen to her?"

" No..."

-x-

"Mom..." Melinda was climbing the stairs. "What would you have done if I had been Dad?"

Piper jumped to her feet. "Froze him."

"Mom..."

"Sorry, I just wanted to see what was going on."

"There's nothing wrong with that." Melinda grabbed Piper's hand. " We just need to be careful. We don't want to change anything."

"I know..." Piper said as they were returning to the attic. " As much as I don't want to..we really should have the girls send me back."

" I don't want you to go either." Melinda hugged her mother.

-x-

Phoebe still wasn't sure if she should trust Leo. She wanted to, but this was her sister. She'd lost her once and didn't want that to happen again. She reached for Piper's hand and was transported to where Piper was. She saw Piper hugging a strangely familiar woman. She was sad, but happy and perfectly fine.

"What did you see?" Leo was suddenly concerned.

"Piper." Phoebe replied. "You're right, she's fine."

"She's in another time and place, isn't she?"

"I think so."

-x-

"They'll be right here and then we'll send you home." Melinda said returning to the attic.

"This is home." Piper didn't want to leave this happy place. "Why do you think this happened...I mean to me today?" Piper asked. Her daughter knew so much more about being a witch than she did.

"I really don't know." Melinda answered, " But Aunt Phoebe said that all things magical happen for a reason."

Piper thought about Melinda's response for a moment and her little sisters words of wisdom. " I think I know why."

-x-

Prue walked into the sun room, her hands filled with camera equipment. "What's going on here...Oh my...Piper.."

"It's OK Prue, don't panic." Phoebe tried to explain. "We're pretty sure we know what's going on."

"Is she all right?"

"Yes, she's fine..." Leo answered.

-x-

"Are you ready girls?" Melinda asked her daughters.

Piper looked at these two girls that were to be her grand daughters. They were such contrasts. Melanie was so much like Phoebe, but she looked like a small version of her mother. Lynn reminded her of Leo so much that it scared her. She had his same features and the same beautiful eyes that could pierce your soul.

"No.." Melanie protested. " I want to talk to her more."

"Now, Mel," Melinda started, " You know we have a special gift and her cannot be careless with our magic."

"We know Mom." Lynn answered for her sister. " We'll be more careful next time."

Lynn and Melanie both grabbed Piper and hugged her.

"Bye Grandma." Melanie said.

"We love you." Lynn added.

"I love you too," Piper said trying not to cry. " More than you'll ever know."

"Ready?" Melinda asked, hugging her mother. "Bye, Mom...see you downstairs in a minute."

The four of them joined hands.

"Piper Halliwell, our grandmother, we release thee..."

The attic was was once again engulfed with a golden glow.

-x-

Piper felt a strange floating sensation. She opened her eyes to find Prue and Phoebe standing over her and Leo sitting beside her.

"Oh my god..." Phoebe exclaimed. " Piper, you're OK."

"Yes, I'm fine.." Piper said clearing her head.

"What happened?" Prue said, "We were really worried about you."

"I'm not really sure.." Piper wondered if it was all a dream. If it was it was pretty vivid.

"Where were you?" Leo asked taking her hand.

Piper looked into his eyes and saw the love he had for her. She saw his soul, their dreams and their future, their wonderful happy future looking back at her. How could she ever question her love for him. She reached for him and hugged him.

"Someplace really good. " she said giving his a soft kiss. "Someday I'll tell you about it."

***** The End *****


End file.
